The Long, Long Weekend
"The Long, Long Weekend" is the twenty-fourth episode of the first season of ''The Flintstones''. It aired on March 10, 1961. Synopsis Fred thinks his old buddy, Gus Gravel, has invited him for a relaxing weekend at his hotel, but it's really a ploy to get him, his wife, and friends to work, as his old staff have quit. Plot Fred discovers in his mail an advertisement personally addressed to him by seaside hotel owner Gus Gravel, "old Smoo", a buddy from his teenage years. Fred telephones Gravel to ask if Flintstones and Rubbles could stay for a leisurely three-day weekend at Gravel Hotel at a discount price. Gravel has gambled and lost the payroll for his hotel staff, and is therefore unable to remunerate his bellhop, chef, and maids, who quit their jobs, leaving Gravel desperate for help in accommodating a 200-people Water Buffalo convention due to patronize his hotel on the same three-day weekend. Gravel regards Fred's request for lodging on that weekend as fortuitous in that he will oblige Fred, for friendship's sake, along with Wilma and the Rubbles, to assist him. Willfully neglecting to mention the circumstances to Fred, Gravel replies that he would be delighted to inexpensively host Fred and company, who come to Gravel Hotel and are greeted with compliments and grace by "old Smoo". After Fred and Barney indulge in swimming (complicated by Fred's premature dive- into beach mud), fishing (thwarted by a most unexpected sea monster catch and panicky Fred and Barney careening from atop the monster in their airborne boat to a crash into one of the Gravel Hotel's occupied rooms), and snorkeling (foiled breathlessly by a pesky bird alternately sitting atop their air tubes), Gravel expresses his no-employee problem to Fred, and Flintstones and Rubbles offer obligatory aid, thinking that "old Smoo" will decline their offer. But accept it he does, and Fred is appointed chef, Barney is the bellhop, and Wilma and Betty are the maids. Gravel still does not refer to the convention, which arrives minutes later, and Flintstones and Rubbles refuse to serve the 200 guests and prepare to depart Gravel Hotel in haste. The Grand Poobah of the Water Buffalos tries to command the accompanying wives of his members to do the work of chef and maids, and Fred, Wilma, Barney, and Betty flee the ensuing riot at the hotel. Characters * Dino * Wilma Flintstone * Betty Rubble * Fred Flintstone * Edna Flintstone (mentioned) * Gus Gravel (only appearance) * Harvey (only appearance) * Maid (only appearance; no lines) * Chef (only appearance; no lines) * Barney Rubble * Sea serpent (only appearance; no lines) * Grand Poobah (only appearance) Locations * Bedrock ** Flintstone home ** Gravel Hotel Objects * Broom Vehicles * Fred's car Cast Notes/Trivia * This episode introduced the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes, which would eventually replace the Loyal Order of Dinosaurs. 'Errors' * The Grand Pooh-Bah mentions how Fred can be a member of the Loyal Order of the Water Buffaloes, when he's later retconned to be a member anyway. Also, The Flintstone Kids retconned the Water Buffaloes as having always existed with the Junior Water Buffaloes. Category:Episodes Category:The Flintstones episodes